Plumb-level.



PATENTED NOV. 13, 1906.

w. L'. POSTER. PLUMB LEVEL.

APPLICATION FILED PEB. 19, 1.006.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIOE.4

PLUME-LEVEL.

VSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13,5 1906.

Application filed February 19, 1906. Serial No. 301,906.

To alt VA[I1/wm, it' may concern/f i I Be. it known that I, WILLIAM F.FOSTER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of East St.Louis, Illinois, have inventedv certain new and useful Improvements inPlumb- Levels, of ywhich the following is a specication. l

This invention relates to improvements in a plumb-level; and it consistsof the I'iovel arrangement, construction, and combination of parts, aswill be fully vhereinafter described and claimed.

The object of my invention is to construct a device provided withgraduations indicating the degree of angle and having a pivotal pointerto indicate the angle of an article upon which the device is placed.

A further obj ect of my invention is to provide a device that willindicate the degree of angle of any device upon which the instrument isplaced.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of my--invention with the coverremoved. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken through thecenter of my device. Fig. 3 is a plan view of my invention. Fig. 4 is anenlargeddetail view of the locking mechanism for retaining the pivotalpointer in position, parts of the device being shown in section. Fig. 5is a detail sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is adetail perspective view of the post made use of in connection with myinvention. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of a bushing used inconnection with my locking mechanism.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 8 indicates a casing consisting ofa rear wall 9, end walls 10, top and bottom walls 11, and a cover 12. Inthe cover 12 is Jformed a curvilinear slot 13, the edge of which isprovided with the graduations 14, which indicate the various anglesarranged from 0 to 90 both to the right and left. The cover 12 isretained in position upon the casing 8 by screws 15, and the centralportion of the cover `is supported and held in rigid position by meansof the post 16.

Within the casing is pivotally arranged a pointer or indicator 17, itspivotal portion being provided with a pair of projecting conicalbearings 18 and adjustably retained in position by means of a screw 19,carried in the cover 12. The indicator 17 is provided with a curvilinearslot 20, through which projects the post 16, and the purpose of the slot20 is to permit the indicator 17 to freely lswing from 0 to thegraduation 90.H The lower end 21 of the indicator is'providedvs'fithl aright-angular projecting' point 22, which projects .through thecurvilinear V `slot 13, .formed inthe cover, and at the rear' of thepoint secured'to the en`d21 is provided a weight 23.

' The po'st 16 is provided 'with a bore 24 andv 1 also vwith a slot 25,extending partly throughout its length and provided with. aright-angular portion 26.' vide a washer 2.7 which is adjustably securedupon the same by means oi the gib-'screw 23. Upon the post 16 and on theopposite side of the indicator I provide abushing 29,'which is alsoprovided with a'slot 30, which is to loe brought in alinement with -theportion 26 of 'Upon the post 16.1 prokthe slot 25 kof the post and inwhich operates the pin 31, vcarried by the push-rod 32. The push-rod 32is inserted in the bore 24 of the post, its outer end provided withtheknob 33 and by which the push-rod is rotated, bringing the pin 31 inalinement withthe slot 25 of the post and to shift said pin inthe projecting portion 26 when it is desired to retain the bushing in anunlocked position, as shown in Figi 4. Upon the bushing I provide anexpansive spring 34, the purpose ofwhich is to compress the bushingagainst the indicator when .the knob 33 is turned sufficiently to bringthe pin 31 in alinement withl the slot 25 and retain .the indicator inposition at the angle at which it sets. The slot 30, formed in thebushing, yis to permit the pin 31 to have lateral motion withoutrevolving the bushing and will retainv the same in locked position. Thelbushing when locked against the indicator is released by pressure beingimparted upon the knob 33,l causing the pin 31 to press against the rearsurface of the slot 30, compressing the spring and by a slight turn ofthe knob will hold the same in its position. The post 16 is held securedto the cover by solderor' the like and is held to the rear wall by meansof the screw 35.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The device is constructedrectangular in form, and to ascertain an angle at which an object is setthe device is placed thereon and the pivotal "indicator, which willnormally hang in vertical position, will indicate upon the graduations,by means of the point 22, the degree. When it is desired to set the de#vice at the angle designated, the knob 33 is so turned as to bring thepin 31 in alinement IOO with the' slot, whereupon the expansive springwill move the bushing 29 against the indicator and bind vit between thebushingv and the washer 27.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is- 1. Inaplumb-level,the combination of a housing having one straight edge and provided witha back member and a cover member,.the cover memberbeing provided with acurvilinear slot, a pivotally-mounted slotted arm mounted between saidback member and "covermember, ,and provided with an outwardly-projectingpoint extending into said curvilinear slot, and a locking means passing'through the slotted arm whereby saidv arm may be iixed at. anypredetermined pitch, substantially as specified.

arm v.provided l.with la, curvilinear slot pivotally vmountedinsaidhousing', one side of said housing'provided withA af. curvilinearslotand a scale, a pointer mounted .on `the free end .of

thepivotal arm andy operating in the curvilinear 'slotor1 thehousing,alocli'n`g device losaid housing provided with a `curvilinearslot ,name to this specification in presence of two 45 cated within thehousing and passing through the curvilinear slot of the pivoted arm tohold said arm in locked position at any predetermined pitch, and whenreleased to permit the arm to have free movement, substantially asspeciiied.

3. A device of the class described comprising a housing, .apivotally-mounted slotted arm located within the housing, one side ofand a scale, a post located within the housing and passing through theslot ofthe arm, a stationary washer located to lone side of the arm, abushing located upon said post to the other side of the arm, and a meansfor locking and releasing ofthe bushing to retain the arm ina lockedposition and to release said .Y y larm, substantially as specified. 2. Aplumb-levelcomprising la housing, an a In testimony whereof I havesigned my 4 subscribing witnesses.

. wiLLiAM F. FosTER.

Witnesses:

y ALFRED A. Ercrrs,

WALTER C. STEIN.

